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Butterfly garden installed in South St. Paul

A butterfly tries out its new surroundings after a Girl Scouts trooped installed a butterfly garden in South St. Paul’s Lawshe Park June 3.

Girl Scout Riza Kremer posed with one of the new tenants of the butterfly garden she and her fellow scouts helped create in South St. Paul’s Lawshe Park last week.

Girl Scout Juniors from Troop #52811 released live butterflies after planting a butterfly garden in South St. Paul June 3. (photos by Heather Edwards/Review)

If you notice more butterflies around South St. Paul, thank the Girl Scouts.

Last week, members of Junior Troop 52811released butterflies into the troop’s butterfly garden, located at Lawshe Park in South St. Paul. The girls--Riza Kremer, Piper Schmitz and Karli Darrow--completed the butterfly garden to earn their Bronze Award.

The garden boasts three colorful butterfly houses and “host plants” that feed the butterflies, including parsley, cabbage and snapdragons. In addition, bright flowers, such as lavender, were planted to attract the butterflies.

Instead of installing a plaque in the garden, the girls painted their names and troop number on a large rock, which will heat up in the sun, providing warmth for the butterflies. Raindrops landing on the rock will provide a cool drink as well.

The butterflies, which were released by the troop and community members in a ceremony June 3, are expected to return to the garden every summer.

The Scouts raised money for their garden by offering butterfly “adoptions” for a small fee; the fundraiser was particularly geared for Mother’s Day.

Katie Gerten of Gerten’s Farm Market plotted the garden and city staff members dug up the flower bed.

In addition, the Southwest Lioness Club planted a crab apple tree in the park as part of the Lions Clubs International’s goal to plant a million trees around the world.